Asian stocks keep gains after mixed China data

The Asian equity markets defended mild gains following the release of China’s economic data, which painted a mixed picture of the economy and hence, left markets more or less unimpressed. Although the Chinese economic grew steadily in the third quarters, but exports and industrial production continue to remain sluggish.

The yen keeps its control across the board after sentiment soured somewhat post-China data, weighing negatively on the exporters’ stocks on the region’s indices. While the Australian stocks trade positive amid higher Aus bonds and commodities’ prices.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 trades modestly flat around 16,980, the Australian S&P/ASX 200 gains +0.38% to 5431. The Chinese equities defend gains, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite index up +0.14%, while CSI300 index also trades +0.08% higher. Hong Kong markets decline -0.22% to trade around 23,340 levels.